Clarent, The Sword of Regicide
History The Knight known as Mordred was conceived between King Arthur Pendragon and his sister, the enchantress Morgana Le Fae, as a means of Morgana to eventually claim the throne of Camelot through her puppet son. He worshiped the "perfect king." He was eventually sent to Camelot under Morgana's recommendation, and through a presentation of his own superb swordsmanship, became one of the Knights of the Round Table. He was given is sword despite his unknown origins because of his abilities and straightforward mental chivalry. He protected the way of the knights much like that which could only be found in picture books, working hard daily in being the ideal knight. In the end, even that innocence was shattered by Morgana, who revealed the secrets of his birth. He learned of his parentage and was told that the King didn't know either. Morgana tried to instill that the King would never accept such a child, and thus, would have to claim his own place in the world, but he was, while shocked, wrapped in joy. While not a proper heir, sharing the same blood as the King, he was proud of his lineage. He felt that in name, reality, mind, and body that he was fit to be the true successor of the King of Camelot. He went without having the slightest feelings of rebellion, spurred on by the truth, and approached the King with delight. Raised without a father, the King was the very form of a godlike father to him, but Arthur rejected him with horror and disgust. He said that, while Mordred was certainly born from him and his sister's plotting, that he would not recognize Mordred as his son or give him the throne. Mordred believed that it was all due to the King's hatred for Morgana, that it would be impossible for her son to be accepted. The illusion of 'nobility' was at last shattered when Arthur allowed Guinevere and Lancelot to escape once their adulterous affair had been exposed. Mordred, ever the idealist of chivalry, was appalled that the King would ignore the Laws in favor of his own personal feelings. If the Knights and People served the Realm, was it no also the King's duty to serve the Realm, or was Arthur merely no different than the Tyrant Kings they fought against? Resulting from that, the distrust of the Round Table towards the King spread, and and the reigns of power in Camelot were seized once the King departed for the Rome expedition. Mordred became the leader of the rebellion, representing the national discontent towards Arthur. After the King finally returned from a long and tiresome battle in France, Mordred raged, claiming that Arthur was not a worthy King and that only he was fit for the throne. The truth of the matter was that he would trust no other with the safe guard and peace of the Kingdom, believing only himself to be 'a just king'. The conflict eventually led towards a final fight, the Battle of Camlann, where both armies were dying in heated battle. The few knights that stayed with the King soon died off, leaving only the two of them standing. The two faced each other on a hill of swords in the middle of a blazing battlefield, where Mordred pointed out that the country had ended and that the victor no longer mattered because everything was gone. Blaming the situation on the King for not living up to his own ideals, he asked if the King hated the son of Morgan that much. Arthur emotionlessly replied, "Not once did I despise you. There was only one reason I would not give you the throne. You didn't have the capacity of a King." Mordred charged forward while driven on by passion, and was eventually defeated in single combat, collapsing while still pierced by the holy spear Ron. Due to being bound by a strong curse, Mordred still swung his sword, Clarent, after his death, leaving a fatal wound on Arthur who later died of his wounds. Whether by some curse, some laugh of Fate, some twisted amusement of the Divine, Mordred now finds himself trapped in the blade that he used to slay his Father, cursed to be unable to state his own identity. Still conflicted and raging over his "failure" at following whom he perceived was an unjust and unworthy King, he now takes the name of his blade, Clarent, and lends his strength to those he deems worthy. Appearance Described as "more dazzling than any silver", it is an ornate, sparkling white silver sword adorned with splendid decorations, though seems to take on a different sheen when Clarent changes its different magical powers. Upon the blade are written these words in the language of the Fey: 'Horrified by failure to thy truest self, thou slay thy only Ruler and Greatest King'. Personality Clarent is extremely prideful and haughty, boasting himself to be equal or better than other combatants, and believes only his status as the child of Morgan caused him to be rejected. He does not even think of failure, boasting overpowering words from a clear and unclouded voice that shows dignity befitting of a king. He constantly insists that he is a knight above all, and that his status as a weapon is of little importance to him and his role. He is resolute in following his own morals, regardless of the more viable, yet underhand, tactics being available. Clarent prefers direct, fair confrontations based upon codes of chivalry. Loves Adoration, the thrill of battle, camaraderie, and songs of great valor and noble deeds. Fears Deep down, Clarent still fears falling into obscurity and seeks to make a new name for himself through great deeds of renown. He will try hard to endear himself to his wielders so as to avoid rejection from those he works with, though is not afraid to lash out at those he deems unworthy. Obsessions Constantly ruminates on the past, as he has little else to do, wondering if there was anything he could have done differently.... Family Morgana Le Fae: Mother Arthur Pendragon: Father Friends None Enemies None Aspirations He wishes to one day regain his true form and use it to create a Kingdom that would put Camelot to shame, as a method of proving kingship that even his father could not deny. Category:Character